which light setup would you choose for a 4x4 setup.

Hello,
I am getting back in the game and alot has changed. I've kept up with LED lighting because of my aquarium so I want to do a DIY build. Im stuck between COBs and QB boards. I want a single fixture that can both do veg and flower i.e. a 3000/4000k selection.

Should I do 8 cob's setup on 2 fixtures so 4 per fixture. be 3500k spectrum these would be the cree MAU5 fixtures from Cutter


or 4 sol-Skins, Im leaning towards the sol skins because coverage is everything but will 4 of these boards be all i need? 4 x 3000/4000k with deep red


Thanks in Advance

well it helps to understand that there is an equivalence between cobs and boards

a QB is about equal to 2 larger cobs or 4 smaller cobs

by extension, going off diode count alone, a sol skin is probably equivalent to 4-7 cobs depending on cob size

you say you like solskin for coverage but youre putting all your eggs in one basket. for the cost of one of those boards you could buy 2+ QBs or 5 ot 6 cobs, both of which would have better coverage

solskins have the switchable channels but you can do that with multiple QBs or cobs as well

how would I make the QB's switch from 3000k-4000k? I would have to have 2 different sets of boards wouldn't I?

for the price of one sol-skin youd buy a 4000k and a 3000k QB

Go with a mix of COBs and QBs. Best of both worlds

How many QB's would you recomend to light a 4'x4' area? the boards seem tiny at 6.833" x 11.25"?

4 boards at 140W each
or 9 big cobs @ 75W each
or 16 cheap cobs @35W each

would all be similar cost and performance

The Skins have a benefit, the colour blending on board is symmetrical, 2 different QB next to each other will not blend 3k/4k across the canopy, one end will be heavy 4k and the other 3k unless thats what you want, skins are blended 3k/4k across each sq centimetre and delivery the mix evenly across the canopy
Cheers
Mark

welight said:

The Skins have a benefit, the colour blending on board is symmetrical, 2 different QB next to each other will not blend 3k/4k across the canopy, one end will be heavy 4k and the other 3k unless thats what you want, skins are blended 3k/4k across each sq centimetre and delivery the mix evenly across the canopy
Cheers
Mark

Click to expand...

Hi Mark,
How much coverage would each sol skin provide? In my 4' x 4' area would I need 4 or could I get by with less do you think?

nc208 said:

Hi Mark,
How much coverage would each sol skin provide? In my 4' x 4' area would I need 4 or could I get by with less do you think?

Click to expand...

4 skins symmetrically placed 6 inches off the wall would put >500umole on the edge/at the wall at around 12-14 inches, boards placed in the centre of each 2x2 grid, would be a bitching light set up for around 600 watts, you could do 2 boards in the centre but I have not tested light out at what would be your far edge at 2ft from board edge
Cheers
Mark